Panic and commotion erupted in Maryland, Lagos State, on Saturday morning after a BRT bus en route from Ikorodu to CMS suddenly went up in flames, leaving passengers scrambling for their lives.
According to eyewitnesses, the driver and conductor fled the scene shortly after the fire started, abandoning passengers in a desperate attempt to escape the inferno.
One of the passengers who spoke with our correspondent at the scene recounted the terrifying moment the fire broke out.
“We noticed a bit of smoke from the driver’s side, but we initially thought it was from another bus nearby,” she said. “But then the smoke became thicker and started spreading fast. That’s when everyone started shouting and running off the bus.”
She added, “Thank God no one was injured. But the driver and conductor ran away immediately. They didn’t wait to help or explain anything. It’s like they knew something was wrong with the bus before putting us at risk.”
Emergency responders, including men of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Nigeria Police Force, and community security personnel, quickly arrived to battle the flames and control the situation.
As of the time of filing this report, the cause of the fire was yet to be officially confirmed, but suspicions of mechanical failure were rife among the witnesses and victims.
“The bus was obviously faulty,” another witness alleged. “This is not the first time we’re seeing this kind of recklessness on the road. Authorities need to take urgent action.”
The incident, which caused traffic disruption along the busy Maryland axis, has once again raised questions about the maintenance of commercial buses operating under the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) scheme in Lagos.
Officials from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) were also sighted at the scene, assessing the damage and ensuring safety protocols were followed.
Efforts to reach the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) for an official comment were unsuccessful as of press time.
